# terrestrial

/tɝˈɛstɹiəɫ/ (US) · /təɹˈɛstɹɪəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/terrestrial
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. relating to planet Earth

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

relating to the planet Earth rather than other planets or space.

For teachers: pertaining to the planet Earth as a physical or astronomical entity.

- Scientists are looking for terrestrial planets that might support life like ours.
- The probe was designed to measure terrestrial magnetism before exiting the atmosphere to study the solar wind.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun.

### 2. living on land

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

living or growing on land instead of in water or in the air.

For teachers: living or growing on the ground or in soil as opposed to being aquatic, arboreal, or epiphytic.

- The island is home to several unique terrestrial birds that cannot fly.
- The study compares the metabolic rates of aquatic mammals with those of their terrestrial relatives to understand heat conservation.

Usage: Commonly used in biology and ecology.

### 3. ground-based broadcasting

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English

describing television or radio signals sent from the ground rather than by satellite.

For teachers: relating to the transmission of television or radio signals via ground-based stations rather than satellite or cable.

- You don't need a satellite dish to watch terrestrial television.
- The government announced a plan to switch off the old terrestrial signal in favour of a fully digital network.

Usage: Often used in the context of media and telecommunications.

### 4. an inhabitant of Earth

noun · CEFR C2 · Humorous · Literary

a person or creature that lives on the planet Earth.

For teachers: an inhabitant of the planet Earth, often used in contrast to hypothetical aliens.

- In the movie, the aliens were surprised by the strange habits of terrestrials.
- The novelist explores the philosophical implications of a first contact between advanced civilizations and unsuspecting terrestrials.

## Examples

- Scientists are searching for terrestrial life on other planets.
- The species is primarily terrestrial, though it occasionally enters shallow water to hunt for small fish.
- While some signals are transmitted via satellite, terrestrial broadcasting relies on a network of ground-based towers to reach local receivers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.